Ilia Bloch, senior cavalry officer, 31 years old, textile master, married, Jewish faith, Polish nationality.
I was arrested on 21 June 1940 in Bialystok because I was running a small textile factory there. I was deported north to the Vologodskaya settlement, the Karelia region, Yankuch station [?]. There were huge forests there, where one might say that no human had ever set foot. They placed us there in dug-outs that stood among the woods. We worked [in] cutting trees and cleaning the branches [off them]. Those deported included Poles, Jews and other nationalities, Polish citizens and a very small percentage of Soviet citizens. We were not guarded by Boykos but [by; illegible] and the NKVD authorities. There was no way to get out of there, because the railroad was far away, and the road led through dense forests where it was possible to get lost. Work began at 7.00 a.m. [and lasted] until 4.00 p.m. [There was] half an hour [for] lunch. The quota was to thoroughly clean 35 trees and cut off their branches. We were given one kilo of bread [and] soup twice a day, which consisted of porridge and water without any fat, as well as 120 rubles a month. If we did not make the quota, they gave only 600 g of bread and this soup once a day plus 50 rubles a month. The conditions were very difficult due to the bitter cold and lack of appropriate clothes. The deported Polish citizens were not bothered about anyone’s nationality and lived with each other in full harmony and helped each other as much as they could. Medical assistant was minimal due to the lack of medication. I had very little communication with my home. I received two letters the whole time. It was only in Iraq that I learned from my friends that [my] wife and family had been deported to Russia. I have received no further news [about] where they are staying. We did not learn about the Polish-Soviet treaty until December 1941 and we had to work until January 1942, because there was no means of transport. On 25 February, we arrived in Kotlas, and on 1 March 1942, we went to Kirov. On 25 April I was called up in Kirov and went to Yangiyul, and from there I was sent to Guzar for a military commission. I was admitted to the army and assigned to the cavalry division in the specialist regiment and from there to the 6th Division.
Army base, 12 February, 1943.